Section 71ZD — Welfare Reform Act 2012: Deduction from earnings

Deduction from earnings 71ZD 1 Regulations may provide for amounts recoverable under section 71ZB to be recovered by deductions from earnings.

2 In this section “earnings” has such meaning as may be prescribed.

3 Regulations under subsection (1) may include provision—

a requiring the person from whom an amount is recoverable (“ the beneficiary ”) to disclose details of their employer, and any change of employer, to the Secretary of State;

b requiring the employer, on being served with a notice by the Secretary of State, to make deductions from the earnings of the beneficiary and to pay corresponding amounts to the Secretary of State;

c as to the matters to be contained in such a notice and the period for which a notice is to have effect;

d as to how payment is to be made to the Secretary of State;

e as to a level of earnings below which earnings must not be reduced;

f allowing the employer, where the employer makes deductions, to deduct a prescribed sum from the beneficiary's earnings in respect of the employer's administrative costs;

g requiring the employer to keep records of deductions;

h requiring the employer to notify the Secretary of State if the beneficiary is not, or ceases to be, employed by the employer;

i creating a criminal offence for non-compliance with the regulations, punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale;

j with respect to the priority as between a requirement to deduct from earnings under this section and—

i any other such requirement;

ii an order under any other enactment relating to England and Wales which requires deduction from the beneficiary's earnings; iii any diligence against earnings.